


The Return of Hope

by glymr



Series: Hope, Faith, Love [1]
Category: Batman - Fandom, DCU - Comicverse, Superman - Fandom
Genre: Bittersweet, Gen, Help Haiti, Heroes in Haiti
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-17
Updated: 2010-01-17
Packaged: 2017-12-12 04:03:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/807013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glymr/pseuds/glymr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Something burst in Dick's chest, joy and love and <em>hope</em>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Return of Hope

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FictionalKnight (Northern_Star)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Northern_Star/gifts).



> Written for Northern_Star's donation to Help Haiti.

Batman grimaced as he pulled the wreckage off of another survivor. The man's left leg had been crushed, and would probably never be usable again. "It's all right," said Dick in French, "I'm going to get you out of here." His accent wasn't perfect like Bruce's or Tim's, but he could at least make himself understood.

The man clutched at his arm, saying something in a mixture of Creole and French. He was clearly agitated, so Dick took a moment to try to decipher it.

"His child," said Robin, voice flat. "His son was in the house."

Dick glanced over at Damian, then at the wreckage. Damian's flat white stare met his, and he knew they were thinking the same thing: there was no way that anyone was left alive in that destruction.

" _Robin will take you where you can get some help while I look for your son_ ," he said to the man gently.

Damian scowled. "You know there's no way anyone could have survived that!" he said sharply, gesturing to the remains of the building. "You'll be wasting time better spent helping those who are still alive!"

Dick's shoulders slumped. Damian was right...but he couldn't just tell the man to give up hope.

The man looked between them, apparently understanding the gist of their conversation, even if he didn't grasp the words. He clutched harder at Dick's arm, tears running down his cheeks. " _Please, please, my son, please,_ " he begged. " _Save my son_."

Taking a breath and squaring his shoulders, Dick nodded. "Take him to the triage point," he told Robin. "I'll look until you get back."

Damian huffed out a breath of annoyance, but didn't argue. " _Come with me,_ " he said to the man. " _*If* your son is alive, Batman will find him._ " His tone made it clear what he thought the chances of *that* were.

The man resisted for a moment, then gave in, allowing Robin to help him. Dick went over to the wreckage and began to shift it as best he could. _I have to try_ , he thought.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been moving the wood and rocks and debris, just that Damian was gone and had not yet returned, when there was a shout and fingers pointing upward. Shading his eyes, Dick looked up from his work.

"Need any help?" asked Superman gently.

Something burst in Dick's chest, joy and love and _hope_. "I thought you were off-planet," he said as gruffly as he could manage.

"How could I stay away?" asked Superman, and Dick swallowed at the simplicity of it. Of course Clark couldn't stay away at a time like this. Of course.

"I'm glad you're here," said Dick, blinking hard behind his mask, and felt it to be the greatest understatement of his life.

"What are you doing?" asked Superman.

With a sigh, Dick explained about the man and his son. Superman nodded and held up his hand, listening, his brows drawn together in a frown. Then, abruptly, he shifted and began lifting the debris and tossing it aside like it was so much cardboard. Dick stood back, trying not to let himself hope.

In less than a minute, Superman had uncovered a low table made of sturdy wood. Beneath it, covered in dust and unconscious, was a small boy.

Dick gathered the child into his arms, checking him for wounds, wiping his face and pouring a small amount of water down his throat. The boy's eyelids began to flutter, finally opening to reveal beautiful, dark eyes.

" _Daddy?_ " he said, coughing.

" _I'll get you to him soon, son,_ " said Dick, then looked up at Superman where he hovered above them, poised to take off and help someone else. "Thank you."

Superman gave him a nod and a smile, then flew away to bring help...and hope...to everyone he could.


End file.
